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Austria-Asia relations The region of what is now Austria has been in contact with various people from different parts of the Asian continent. Major events were the rise of the Avar Khaganate, the marital relations with the Byzantine Empire, the sieges of the Mongols and the Ottomans, as well as the Austrian attempts to establish colonies in India.

Sarmatians in Roman Austria In the Roman military station of Carnuntum, Sarmatians are recorded to have settled.

Avar Khaganate At least parts of what is now Austria fell under the rule of the Avar Khaganate. The Avars came from Central Asia.

Magyar conquest In the 9th century, the Pannonian basin witnessed its conquest by the Magyar confederations. Along with them came also Pechenegs and Volga Bulgars. In fact, it was the conquest of the Magyars that led to the first reference to Vienna in historical sources. The Pechenegs and Magyars acted as guards at the Gyeppü frontier system.

relations with the Byzantine Empire Two kings of the Babenberg dynasty married Byzantine princesses. Thus, the independant state of the Markgraviate of Austria was under Byzantine influence from its beginning on. Material traces of this influence can felt by the Greek crosses in the Virgill chapel, the star crescent that used to be on the spire of the tower of St. Stephan's, as well as in the imagery in Gozzoburg and the Johanneskapelle in Pürgg. The later also features a Pseudo-Kufic decoration on an arch, that says Allah ten times. Such an instance can be attributed to relations with Venice.

relations with the Mongol Empire The Mongols reached up to Austria. It was in Wiener Neustadt that Frederick the Quarrelsome thwarted the Mongols armies. Thus, Austria never became a permanent dependancy of the Mongol Empire. There were, however, indirect links to the Pax Mongolica, through intimate relations and links with parts of Italy that were affected by the new Silk Road. It was through these means that Rudolf lll would be draped in a cloth originating somewhere in the Ilkhanid empire and reused as a shroud for him. Also, it is noteworthy that the roof of the St. Stephans cathedral spots a lonzenge patters resembling the one of the facade of the Doge Palace in Venice, that in turn can traced back all the way to Central Asia.

relations with the Ottomans The climax of intimate relations with West Asians was reached through the manyfold relations with the Ottoman empire. First and foremost were the sieges of Vienna as well as in Styria. The area of Burgenland might have been under Ottoman rule.

Austrian colonial attempts Austria also attempted to established very short-lived colonial outposts in continental India and the Nicobars.

Category: foreign relations of Austria